The Philadelphia Flyers made a daring move throughout the final weeks of the regular season and surged right into a playoff position. They were capable of defeat the cross-state Pittsburgh Penguins in the primary round and that enabled them to combat the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes within the second round. While they lost that series in 4 straight games, they got to see a championship team operating at its peak — giving the Flyers a real lesson on what it would take to succeed in that level within the foreseeable future.
There’s work for general manage Daniel Briere to do, and with the NHL Draft commencing Friday night, the team will find a way to make several key additions to their organization. Along with bringing in the highest young talent, the NHL Draft may also be a key time for making trades and changing the makeup of the team.
The Flyers and each NHL team have actually taken notice of the large blockbuster the Florida Panthers and the Ottawa Senators accomplished Sunday. Brady Tkachuk will join his brother Matthew in South Florida as that team attempts to reassert its dominance after missing the playoffs this season. The Panthers gave up three first-round draft selections and a second-round selection to finish the deal. It is anticipated that the 2 Tkachuk brothers will play on the identical line next season for head coach Paul Maurice.
The Flyers will not be prone to make an epic deal like that, but they might be involved in a key trade of winger Owen Tippett. He has been with the Flyers for five of his eight seasons within the NHL.
Possible Flyers trade of Tippett to Oilers
Tippett has emerged as solid offensive threat after scoring 22 goals or more in each of his last 4 seasons. He scored a career-best 28 goals last season and is clearly a first- or second-line player.
The Edmonton Oilers have a necessity for solid players who can contribute consistently on the offensive end. They’ve superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as their headliners, but they need consistent players who can find the back of the web frequently.
Tippett has size and strength at 6-1 and 210 kilos. He can go to the front of the web and search for deflections, rebounds and difficult plays around the web. He may be difficult to maneuver once he anchors himself in that position.
If the Flyers are going to make such a deal and quit some of the dependable scorers, they must get a solid player in return. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been with the Oilers for 15 years since he was the No. 1 pick within the 2011 NHL Draft. While Nugent-Hopkins never became a superstar, he stays a solid and productive player who can play center or a wing.
He clearly has a mature and well-developed game, but he must have several good years left on the age of 33. He could also bring the Flyers the type of playoff maturity that may help the team compete within the postseason in the event that they can get back to the Stanley Cup playoffs again next yr.
That’s actually the expectation that Briere and Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet have for the upcoming season.
Nugent-Hopkins could thrive in a brand new environment
There was a sameness and a routine for Nugent-Hopkins throughout the last several years. He has had the identical role as either a second- or third-line player — depending on the coach’s prerogative — for a team that has had championship aspirations.
Nugent-Hopkins has been one in all the “other” guys on the Oilers for years, because this team belongs to McDavid and Draisaitl. “The Nuge” has actually been a respected member of the team and one which may be counted on to contribute, but a brand new uniform and a brand new responsibility on an Eastern Conference team could take him out of his routine and lift his compete level.
Playing for a coach like Tocchet could encourage him quite a bit and playing against Eastern Conference opponents could add some spice to his game. He has seen teams just like the Penguins, Rangers, Capitals, Maple Leafs, Bruins and Islanders for years, but only on an infrequent basis. Playing 4 or five games per season against Eastern Conference teams that will not be as aware of his game could have a dramatic impact on his scoring totals.
Nugent-Hopkins had an enormous season in 2022-23 when he scored 37 goals and 67 assists for 104 points. That’s 35 points higher than his second-most productive season. It’s likely that Nugent-Hopkins won’t reach that level again.
Nevertheless, he could rating 65-75 points in a season and play an enormous role on the ability play for the Flyers. That will provide a major upgrade for the Flyers.
A trade of Tippett for Nugent-Hopkins might be the variety of deal that helps each teams.
The Philadelphia Flyers made a daring move throughout the final weeks of the regular season and surged right into a playoff position. They were capable of defeat the cross-state Pittsburgh Penguins in the primary round and that enabled them to combat the eventual champion Carolina Hurricanes within the second round.